Tuesday, June 21, 2005

Tracking Health Care Costs: Spending Growth Stabilizes at High Rate in 2004 Data Bulletin from the Center for Studying Health System Change - "The recent slowdown in health care spending growth leveled off in 2004 as health care costs per privately insured American increased 8.2 percent in 2004—virtually the same rate of increase as in 2003. Nonetheless, health spending growth continued to outpace overall economic growth by a wide margin—2.6 percentage points—in 2004, despite a robust 5.6 percent increase in the overall U.S. economy as measured by per capita gross domestic product. If health care spending growth continues to exceed growth in workers’ incomes by a significant margin, health insurance will become unaffordable to more and more people..." See also the article at Health Affairs, Tracking Health Care Costs: Declining Growth Trend Pauses In 2004, which is also available in PDF format.  
  

"Health Centers and Rural Clinics: State and Federal Implementation Issues for Medicaid's New Payment System GAO report in PSF format - "GAO recommends that CMS explore the development of a more appropriate inflation index for the BIPA PPS and improve its guidance for states and its oversight of states’ payment methodologies. CMS said it will take steps related to its oversight but disagreed on the need to issue additional guidance. CMS also disagreed on the need to develop an inflation index; GAO maintained the recommendation and also elevated the issue to a matter for congressional consideration."